Inclusion in Louisiana

Although it's obvious that fairness and equality are fundamental values for Louisiana families, there are those who would have us believe that those values do not apply to our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) brothers and sisters.

This year, Capital City Alliance, Louisiana Progress and Equality Louisiana commissioned three questions to be included in the LSU Public Policy Research Lab's Omnibus Phone Survey to put that myth to rest. The results demonstrate plainly Louisiana residents' commitment to fair treatment for our LGBT neighbors:

? 89.3 percent of Louisiana residents agree nobody should be fired from a job because the individual is gay or transgender.

? 93.7 percent of Louisiana residents believe nobody should be evicted from a home or denied housing because the individual is gay or transgender.

? 89.5 percent of Louisiana residents say schools should protect gay and transgender students from bullying and harassment.

This support persists across traditional divisions - no matter their race, age, region or political party, Louisianans believe in equality for all.

Therefore in 2014, I hope you'll stand with Equality Louisiana in calling on our elected officials to align our laws and policies with the values we all hold dear.

Democrats owe apology

Democrats are running scared regarding "Obamacare," the Affordable Care Act. Democrats can't hide from Obamacare so they want to share the blame.

Yes, Republicans added amendments and Democrats controlled what amendments made it into Obamacare because they had total control over how the law was written. How Congress voted in the House of Representatives: 219 Democrats voted for Obamacare, 34 Democrats and 178 Republicans voted against it. In the Senate, 58 Democrats and two Independents voted for Obamacare, 39 Republicans voted against Obamacare with one Republican not voting.

Democrats hailed the law as pie in the sky, this great thing they had done for the people, and the people worshiped them. The Democrat Party walked on water up the steps of the White House with Nancy Pelosi leading, all smiles and giggly - while Republicans were vilified for opposing it. All those terrorist Republicans voting 40 times to repeal and replace or for shutting down government trying to defund Obamacare.

I think Barack Obama and the Democratic Party owe the people more than just an apology for Obama's lies. I also think the people owe the Republican Party more than just an apology for their truths!

Steven M. King, Milton, Fla.

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